The Southwest Arthritis Center (SAC), a product of input from private health professionals, the Southwest Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, and the University of Arizona, has as its basic objectives to (1) provide community programs for arthritis patients; (2) affect the curriculum and continuing education for health professionals (physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health) as well as provide patient education; and (3) engage in basic, clinical, and health economics research. The major emphasis of SAC is on patient education since an aware arthritis patient is the most important element of quality arthritis care. Professional education will emphasize team health care delivery. Community programs will concentrate on outreach to rural areas, minority groups, the notch groups, and institutional populations. Research will be focused on the economics of three arthritis health delivery settings, the relationship of the inflammatory process to the subsequent development of fibrosis, the evaluation of SAC programs, and the coordination of extensive ongoing research in the area.